Regotiations with U.S. Government for Financial Aid to Israel to Start Soon

Basic preparations are being made for negotiations with the U.S. Government for securing American financial aid for Israel, it was reported today at a meeting of the Israel Cabinet. The meeting heard a report given by Mrs. Golda Myerson, Labor Minister, on her recent visit to the United States and on the National Planning Conference for Israel and Jewish Rehabilitation, which took place in Washington the week-end of October 27-29.

Mrs. Myerson reported that the Conference was attended by representatives of all Zionist and non-Zionist groups in the United States, except the American Council for Judaism and Communist Jewish groups. She said that arrangements are being made in the United States for the sale of Israel bonds, and emphasized that the Conference decided to expand the activities of the United Jewish Appeal.

The Cabinet today approved the draft of a bill fixing the term of office of the present session of Parliament. The Cabinet also reviewed the current situation in the immigrant reception camps and in work villages at up for new arrivals. A government report to the Knesset on the subject is expected to be made within two weeks. At its session today, the Cabinet also approved the International Convention for Civil Procedure.

Minister of Agriculture Pinhas Lubianiker, in his maiden speech to the Israel Parliament today, introduced a citrus-marketing bill which was adopted after the first reading.

A demand by the Herut that a special investigation be launched into police searches of newly-arrived immigrants from Poland–which took place at Haifa last week aboard the S.S. Protea–was referred to the Knesset’s home committee. Police authorities who searched the Protea immigrants confiscated large quantities of food that the Polish Jews had brought with them.